Audio-Technica – Pro 70 Microphone Review

I’m using this microphone because I wanted a better sound from my jazz guitar than just the pickup. By researching different techniques for amplifying acoustic guitars, I found that using a small mic plus a pickup gives me a much broader range of tonal possibilities resulting in a better sound.

…my guitar now has a wonderful bright voice with all notes of the upper and lower registers coming through crisp and clear…

With the pickup alone, it sounded plain and one-dimensional. I wanted to hear the highs, the mid range, and the lows but I just wasn’t getting all that. With the addition of the Audio-Technica Pro 70 mic, I now hear the full spectrum.

Features:

The Audio-Technica Pro 70 cardioid condenser microphone is designed for both guitar and lavalier clip-on (for speech). It’s just under an inch long and 0.40″ in diameter. Although it comes with a clip mount for your guitar, I made a smaller, less obtrusive one that is positioned about an inch away from one of the sound holes. I prefer it to be on the inside of the instrument for reduced feedback possibilities.

Ease of use:

Once you have the mic installed is pretty easy to use. You have to clip the little power module box to your belt or guitar strap (weighs about 4 ½ oz.). I found it easiest to clip mine to my back pocket. Positioning of the mic makes a big difference… you don’t want it right up next to your sound hole because things will sound too boomy.

Sound Quality:

With the Audio-Technica Pro 70 mixed with the guitar pickup (a dual-source system) my guitar now has a wonderful bright voice with all notes of the upper and lower registers coming through crisp and clear. The mic definitely gives it some “air” and a lot of people wonder how my guitar sounds so clean.

Reliability:

The Audio-Technica Pro 70 is extremely reliable. The little battery (for phantom power) has lasted all year! I turn it off after each gig and have never needed to use my spare battery. The specs say that the battery life is 1200 hours.

Overall Rating:

This is a great option if you want to amplify something like a jazz guitar, gypsy guitar, guitarron, or classical/dreadnaught guitar. Many guitarists are not satisfied with their existing sound, especially an under-the-saddle Piezo electric pickup. Adding a second source, such as the Audio-Technica Pro 70 mic, fits the bill nicely.